Casting machine



l eb. 11, 1930. w, M s ET AL 1,746,360

CASTING MACHINE I Filed Dec. 11, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet l v N N R Hw 4 Q Q, g in fix N A; kg R v MI M K R N Feb. 11, 1930.

A. w. MoRms ET AL CASTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 11. 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 HWWZ Feb. 11, 1930. w. MORRIS El Al CASTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 11, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Feb. 11, 1930. A. w. MORRIS ET AL CA S TING MACHINE Filed Dec. 11, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 4 v jw erafins. Z i w m Feb. 11, 1930. w MORRls ET AL 1,746,360

I CASTING MACHINE Filed Dec. 11, 1928 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 N M ar/411% g QM Patented Feb. 11, 1930 UNITED STATES PATEN'T' OFF-ICE.

ALBERT WOOD MORRIS, OF DREXEL HILL, AND SAMUEL PRICE WETI-IERILL, JR., F HAVERFORD, PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNORS TO WETHERILL-MORRIS ENGINEERING COMPANY, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE CASTING MACHINE Application filed December 11, 1928. Serial No. 325,365.

Our invention relates to casting machinesintended foruse in connection with metallic molds and the object of our invention is to provide a machine of great flexibility in the sense that it is adapted to manipulate the mold elements, viz, the mold sections, cores and ejectors, in any desired sequence and with great rapidity and accuracy of operation. Further objects which we have in view are to provide means for nicely regulating the paths of travel of the mold section supports so that any desired closeness of approach of the sections to each other can be secured when the mold is closed to receive molten metal; to provide for the tipping or removal of the mechanism supporting and operating the mold section as may sometimes be desirable to facilitate'the removal of a casting or replacement or repair of parts; to provide a machine in which the casting is made and freed from the mold elements in practically the same spot, to provide a machine readily adaptable for making castings ofyery different sizes, and shapes, to provide for a simple a and efficient coordination of the machine parts acting upon the mold elements with a metal reservoir and mechanism acting on and in connection with said reservoir for transporting it to and from registry with the mold and charging the mold with molten metal. Our machine is primarily designed for the making of iron castings which require in many cases a high speed and great accuracy of manipulation of the mold elements in vary- 5 ing sequence though of course it is also adapted for use in castings of any material.

()ur machine will be described in connection with the drawings which illustrate a machine embodying our invention in what we believe 0 to be its best embodiment and its novel tea-' tures are clearly pointed out in our claims.

In the drawings: Figure l-is a plan view of our machine. Figure 2, a side elevation of the machine with the mold sections and mold elements shown on a larger scale supported on trolleys above the-machine.

Figure 3 is an end elevation of the machine.

Figure 4, a cross sectional view taken partly on the line 4-4 of Fig. 1 and,'so far as the cross head is concerned, partly on the line P4 of Fig. 1.

Figure 5 is a sectional plan view taken as on the center line of the cross head showing on a larger scale certain details of construction.

Figure 6 is an enlarged view of certain details of construction shown on a smaller scale in Fig. 2.

Figure 7 is an end elevation of the" metal reservoir and mechanism for actuating the running trough.

Figure 8 is a longitudinal'sectional elevation taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Figure 9, a cross section on the line 99 of Fig. 8, and

Figure 10, an end elevation taken from the opposite side to that shown in Fig. 7.

A and A indicate the lateral and transverse elements of two frames upon which the actuating device for the mold sections and elements are supported and which frames can be readily adjusted with reference to each other to fit the machine for use in connection with molds of very different sizes. The lateral members of the frames are, as shown, provided with upwardly extending portions indicated at a and with tracks or guideways, indicated at B, B. The two frames are connected together by a series of four rods indicated at C, C, etc., which are. secured to upwardly extending portions (1, as shown. 1), D, are cylinders secured to the frames. From the pistons working in which rods, indicated at D. extend, supporting at their ends a yoke D to which are connected rods indicated at D D to the ends of which are connected the uprights indicated at D, to the upper ends of which are secured the racks indicated at D D moving on guideways provided by the lateral portions of the frames as best indicated in Figures 3 and 4. These racks are engaged with the gear wheels E, which wheels are journalled in the uprights a, as best shown in Fig. 4, and are provided with crank pins indicated at E which are preferably made radially adjustable so as to vary the stroke of the connecting rods E which are engaged with the crank pins, preferably by hooking over them and which at their other ends are engaged with the eccentrics E formed on the opposite ends of the transverse shaft E as best shown in Figures 5 and 6. This shaft which has its bearings in the cross head F is provided with rollers indicated at E which restupon the tracks B and has secured to it a worm wheel E which, as best shown in Fig. 6, is engaged by a worm E secured to a square ended shaft E", which shaft has its bearings in the yokes E such yokes being clamped to the cross head F, as best shown in Fig. 3. F and F are cylinders secured on opposite sides of the cross head F and F F indicate rods secured at one end to the cross head and at their other end to the mold section holders indicated at- G, G, which are supported 0n the tracks B, through rollers indicated at G.

H, H, indicate heads supported on the tracks B by rollers H, the heads being shown as slotted, as indicated at H to engage the plate N which is held in place as by a wedge H and to which are attached some of the mold elements, as shown in Fig. 2; a series of cast ejecting pins. The'head-s H are attached to piston rods, see Fig. 5, indicated at H, connected to piston H working in the cylinders F the construction shown showing also a separable section H", H of the piston which is adjustable along the piston rod H and by means of which the packing indicated at H can be tightened.

I is a cross head secured to the end of a piston rod connected with a piston working. in the cylinder F the piston rod being indicated at I in Fig. 2 and the cross head being connected by a series of rods 1 with the head J supported on the tracks B by rollers indicated at J and is slotted similarly to the head H, as indicated at J This head is adapted to engage, for instance, the plate M to which plate are connected other mold elements, as shown, for instance, in Fig. 2, the cores used in connection with the mold.

K, Fig. 2, indicates an over-head track upon which run trolleys, indicated at K these trolleys serving for the transporting of the mold sections indicated at L. In these sections are, of course, formed the main mold cavity and passages indicated at L for the insertion and withdrawal of the cores. Other passages indicated at L are formed for the ejector pins and, as shown, a path L* for the guidance of rack M secured to the plate M and engaged with a gear wheel L supported in the mold section and in its turn engaged with and actuating a core holder indicated at L, by means of which a core can be inserted and withdrawn through a path hearing an angular relation to the path travelled by the other cores. M indicates a core attached to the plate M and N N N ejector pins attached to the plate N. At L in the sectional view of the mold we have in dicated a cutting out of the mold which is sometimes advisable.

At 0 we have indicated a base plate located between the supports of the above described machine, in which base plate are formed tracks or guideways O for the carriage supporting the metal reservoir and an opening 0 located above a cavity located at O in Fig. 8, into which cavity extends a frame P supported on the plate 0 and having a cross bar indicated at P to which is firmly attached the piston rod P having a fixed piston at its upper end over which works a cylinder P, having secured to it a rack P which engages and rotates a gear wheel P on a shaft P journalled in the frame P and having attached to it crank arms P carrying a pin P to which are connected connecting rods P see'Fig. 3, which in turn are connected to the carriage which supports the metal reservoir. The frame of this carriage, see Figs. 7, 8. 9, and 10, as indicated at Q, is supported on the guideways through supporting wheels indicated at Q}; guideways as indicated at Q formed on the frame of the carriage support slides Q to which is secured a cylinder Q which reciprocates on a piston Q, the piston rod 9 of which is securely attached to the frame of the carriage. Secured to the slides Q are racks indicated at Q and Q which are engaged with the gear wheels Q and Q, which are secured to the shafts Q journalled in the frame of the carriage and to which are attached crank pins, as indicated at Q. Q, Q, etc., are parts secured to the carriage and having jaws, indicated at Q12, at their tops which are adapted to engage and interlock with jaws G see Fig. 2, formed on the lower portion of the mold section holders G, as shown in Fig. 2.

R, R, etc, are connecting rods connected to the crank pins Q and to pins R attached to frames R which are vertically movable on the uprights Q as guideways. On these frames is supported the plate R to the under side of which is secured the casing R" having a bottom plate, as indicated at R. This casing is lined and insulated by refractory material, as indicated at R. to form a reservoir for molten metal. the top plate carrying also the partition R dividing oil the delivery opening R from the body of the receptacle. R indicates an outlet opening at the bottom of the receptacle by which it can be emptied when desired. It is a filling opening in the plate R. R is a cylinder secured to the plate R S is a slide plate laterally movable to open and close the opening R and actuated by the cylinder It. This plate carries a trough S through which metal is poured into the reservoir when the passage 11 is opened. In the slide S is formed a passage S by which air under pressure is introduced into the reservoir and directly in front of the passage is a bafile indicated at S to prevent the issuing jets of air from impinging directly on the metal in the reservoir. S indicates a. series of air blast nozzles in the front of the slide S provided so that jets of air can be directed over the front part of the slide guides as the slide closes the opening into the reservoir, thereby keeping the guidewa-ys clean. T indicates a gutter secured to the carriage and in registry with the opening R The operation of our machine is as follows. The mold section holders G being retracted, as shown at the right hand in Figures 1 and 2, the mold sections are lowered into registry with the holders and securely fastened thereto. The mold elements, that is, the cores and ejector pins, being in proper position for the making of a casting, assshown at the left hand side of Fig. 2, that is to say, the cores projected into the mold and the ejector pins are retracted, the reservoir properly charged with molten metal is, by means of the cylinder P and its described connected mechanism, moved to a position in which its delivery opening R will be directly below the gate of the mold and is then raised by the cylinder Q and the described connecting mechanism to a position in which it will register with the mold. The mold sections are closed by admitting pressure fluid to the cylinder D and thereby, through the prescribed connecting mechanism, rotating the ards Q with the locking device G on the' gear wheels E and through the connecting pins attached to these discs, moving the connecting rods E to the position shown at the left hand side of Fig. 2, the connecting rods actuating the cross heads F through their connection with the eccentrics E by the shaft E and the mold section holders G moving with the cross heads to which they are connected by the rods F The path of travel of the cross heads and of the holders is determined primarily by the eccentricity of the pins E attached to the gear wheels E and a further adjustment of the path travelled by the holders is provided by means of the connection of the rods E with the eccentric pins E. By turning the shaft E to which the pins Fr are connected by means of the worm wheel E and worm E a very nice adjustment of the path of travel. of the heads is provided for and such nice adjustment is highly desirable both to compensate for expansion and contraction in the machine parts and to provide for a proper spacing of the mold sections when in closed position, it being advisable that a slight clearance should be left between the sections for the escape of air.

The closing of the mold sections engages the locking device at the top of the standbottom of the holders Gr, thus insuring that the delivery opening R shall be held firmly against the gate of the mold.

The molten metal in the reservoir is forced by air pressure admitted through the top of the reservoir into the mechanism described up through the delivery opening B into the mold.

As the metal sets in the mold it is necessary that a series of movements should be given to the mold elements which will diiier with castings of various shapes and in the case of many castings the movements given to the different mold elements must be very nicely timed. Thus, for instance, it is found necessary that the cores or some cores should be withdrawn as soon as the metal in contact with them sets. Again, the mold sections have frequently to be withdrawn in a definite sequence andthe ejector pins must be operated also with great positiveness and in definite relationship to the movements of the mold sections. Our machine provides for the necessary manipulation of the mold elements. Thus, the cores are connected as described with a plate M and this plate is engaged by the head J. This head is actuated through the rods 1 attached to the cross head I which in turn is connected to the piston working in the cylinder F attached to the cross head F. By admitting pressure fluid to these cylinders the cores can be withdrawn at any time during the casting operation. Again, the ejector pins are connected to the plate N which is engaged by the head H attached to the piston rod H of the piston working in the cylinder F and by admitting pressure fluid to this cylinder the ejector pins can be operated in any desired relation to the movements of the mold section holders.

It will be observed that the cross head F the mold section holders G and the heads H and J are all supported by their connected rollers on the tracks B and form together what might be called a carriage which can be readily tilted upward on the rear rollers E as is sometimes highly desirable to enable the casting which is stuck in the mold to be more readily removed and the described construction also makes it practicable to lift the entire mechanism away from the tracks which is also sometimes desirable for repairs and replacement.

Having now described our invention, what we claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. In a casting machine, the combination I with suitable supports of two reciprocat111gcrosshead's, means for reciprocating said cross heads, mold section supporters secured to and moving with each cross head, one or more heads for engaging elements of a mold and means for reciprocating said heads secured to the cross heads and adapted to reciprocate' the heads relatively to the cross heads or to hold said heads in fixed relation to the cross heads.

2. A casting machine having the featuresof claim 1 in which the means for reciprocating the cross heads include links which lie on dead centers when the cross heads are in mold closing position, thereby locking the cross heads against thrust tending to separate the mold sections.

3. A casting machine havin the features of claim-1, in which the means or reciprocating the heads with reference to the cross heads consist of cylinders secured to the cross heads and pistons attached to the heads.

4. A casting machine having the features of claim 1, in which the cross heads, mold section supports and heads for engaging mold elements are supported on guides at the top of the supports and are unattached thereto so that they can be tilted or lifted clear thereof.

5.- A casting machine having the features of claim 1, in which the supports for the cross heads and connected mechanism are spaced apart having in combination therewith a vertically movable charging ladle located in the space between said supports and means for moving said ladle from a position in which it registers with the mold to a retracted position. a

6. A casting machine having the features of claim 1, in whichthe supports for the cross heads ,and connected mechanism are spaced apart, a transversely extending guideway located between them upon which a longitudinally and vertically movable metal reservoir is supported.

7. casting machine having the features of claim 1, in which the means for reciprocating the cross heads consist of cylinders and pistons, racks longitudinally movable on the su ports actuated thereby, gear wheels journa ed on the supports in engagement with said racks and having crank pins attached thereto and links attached to said crank pins and to the cross heads.

8. A casting machine having the features of claim 1, in which each cross head in addition to the mold section supports two heads for engaging mold elements, each separately con nected to the cross head by a cylinder and piston whereby they can be moved relatively to the cross head and whereby the connected mold elements can be moved in any desired timing with relation to the movements of the mold section supports.

9. A castingmachine having the features of claim 1, and having in combination therewith a sectional mold the sections of which are held in the reciprocatable mold supports, said sectionsr'supporting mold elements secured to the heads connected to the cross head.

10. A casting machine having the features of claim 1, and having in combination therewith a sectional mold the sections of whichare held in the reciprocatable mold supports,

said sections supporting mold elements secured to the heads connected to the cross head, said mold sections also having locking jaws adapted when the mold is closed to engage and hold a metal reservoir.

11. A casting machine having the features of claim 1, having means for adjusting the mold supports with reference to the cross head to which they are attached so as to vary the path of travel of the mold section supports.

12. A casting machine having the features of claim 1, in which the mold supports are connected to the cross beads by means of connecting rods connected to eccentrics on the ends of rotatable shafts journalled on the cross heads and having means for angularly adjusting the shaft.

ALBERT WOOD MORRIS:

SAMUEL PRICE WETHERILL, J a. 

